Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-06-15
WICHITA, KAN.
4 Few Notes from Wichita, Kan.
Relative 10 the General Prosperity
and Thrift OF the Country.
The Prospects of Fort Worth as Com
pared with the New Metropolis
of Kansas.

WICHITA. KAN, June T., 1887.
To the Editor of the Gazette.
What reyolutionIzers Of travel, trade
and even existence railroads are.
Here l am, resident of your neighbor-
hood who comes across the "Territory"
and travels many miles in Kansas, Just
to reach HemphIll county, Texas, yet ex-
pperience teaches that one can travel this
route and save both time and expense in
reaching the Northeast Panhandle. Such,
showever, will soon change; the Fort
Worth and Denver will ere long remedy
this, and wigfa few branches which are
rs limbs t6Sthe tree, and bring the pro-
dssslsGf fhfs fertile region to the markets
of FJft Worth.
In this section OF the country zee
much to excite interest, and in coHeem
plating this town interest verg6B ION
amazement. With none of the special
features that furnish the foundations
for city this town has sprung from smaA
cattle shipping point to metropolis,
and this, too, in so short while. JUST
reflect over these figures. In 1854 the
assessed value of all property in the town
was S ,750, 900; IN '85, S2,475, 900; in '86,
81, 800; and in '87, S8,935,O00, which
does not include the value of the railroad
property. OF course, in such mar
velOusly developed town, individual in
stances of quickly acquired wealth are
numerous. Speculation ran riot. In
one instance prospective business lot,
100xl40 feet, sold on the 10th for $500;
before the deed was completed it was
sold for ST., 200, and resoId on the 18th
<Dr A oh Nd no
five acres adjoining town for $500; in
less than two years he sold it for $40, 900.
These are only q few instances out of
hundreds where rapid returns have been
made. In the business part of town
% feet front sells at from $4,000 to
| S28, 900. Thus far 1000 buildings have
been erected this year.
In one particular the people challenge
the admiration of the world; it is their
boast, that during the past year they con-
tributed over S2,000,000 to public enter
| prises, colleges, universities, railroads,
churches, ETC., to the Young Mems Chris
tian Association alone over $50, 900 was
donated, within twenty-fOur hours after
| the enterprise was started. Many men
who had money and invested literally
here three to five years ago have realized
| from 100000 to 100000. w. d. Nc
| Cormick, late of Pennsylvania, located here
| three years ago; his worldly possessions
consisted of $500, he is now worth
! 100000. Chester Firebaugh OF Illinois
came about thesame time with like
amount and is now rated at $3.50, 600,
This sudden acquisition Of wealth |
! imagine recalls that fascinating story of
| the Count of Monte Christie to the fOrtu-
| nate ones But what creates this era Of
( prosperity.
While the special features of q great
city do not appear on the surface, yet l
feel sure that they exist. The lands that
sur ound this prodigy for 100 miles in
each direction are wonderfully product
i've, they having raised in 1884 over
5000, 900 bushels Of corn in this county.
Still that alone is not sufficient to sustain
population OF 80, 900 at the county seat.
No, the people have determined-as in
the location of ancient Rome-that here
they will found city, and ell are bend
ing their energies 10 the accomplishment
Of that object, and such an
immense concentration of forces,
inteJligently applied, must succeed.
The railroad outlets are nine,
kbut are not trunk roads such as the
#TeXas Pacific, Missouri Pacific or Gulf,
| Colorado and Santa Fe. The town is
| situated on one of the fats of the Arkan-
/ ses river, which is now greatly swollen
| by recent rams and threatens inundation.
/ The town as yet possesses no sewerage
! system, and the streets are not graded,
! hence a picture Of Fort Worth about
/ four years ago after ten days continuous
rains Will give you an ides OF their muddy
condition.
! In connecting this town with Fort
! Worth Whist 8 magnificent prospect IN
| folds itself Fort Worth has much
greater scope Of country TO draw
from, her elements of wealth
hare more developed, her eli
mate more healthful and then
! Fort Worth is not handicapped east, west,
north and south by other towns of equal
railroad facilities, and her artesian water
! is not equ0lled in the state, and then,
above all, the liberal heartedness as well
as the enterprise Of her citizens is known
| throughout the land.
Cut up the large bodies Of land, sell in
small tracts, encourage the enterprising
farmer, enact laws that, like Kansas, will
give an attractive white schoolhouse with
green shutters every three miles and let
future DO the rest.
| cannot pass this opportunity to say
TINT my experience teaches me that pro-
hibition does not prohibit in Kansas. In
KioWa, town Of 1900, where
l spent yesterday, | saw nine
saloons and three drug stores
where ardent spirits were retailed. Here
am told that they are very numerous.
The majority OF the people with whom l
have conyersed on the subject since hele
prefer 4 high license, claiming that the
change from whisky 70 prohibition is too
sudden, snd that it cannot be enforced,
though l am told that it Is enforced in
Wellington.
As my train will soon start for the Pan
handle over the Kansas Southern, l will
say Adi0s. j. B. +. S.